Lufthansa nixes over 200 flights as pilots strike

By Associated Press
| 3:33 a.m.Sept. 5, 2014

FILE - In this April 2, 2014 file picture Lufthansa aircrafts are parked as Lufthansa pilots went on a three-days-strike in Frankfurt, Germany. A union representing pilots at Lufthansa says they will stage a six-hour strike Friday targeting short- and medium-haul flights from Frankfurt.The Vereinigung Cockpit union said Thursday Sept. 4, 2014 the strike will run from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. (1500 to 2100 GMT; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT). (AP Photo/Michael Probst,File)
The Associated Press

FILE - In this April 2, 2014 file picture Lufthansa aircrafts are parked as Lufthansa pilots went on a three-days-strike in Frankfurt, Germany. A union representing pilots at Lufthansa says they will stage a six-hour strike Friday targeting short- and medium-haul flights from Frankfurt.The Vereinigung Cockpit union said Thursday Sept. 4, 2014 the strike will run from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. (1500 to 2100 GMT; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT). (AP Photo/Michael Probst,File)

BERLIN (AP) — Lufthansa has canceled more than 200 short-haul flights as a result of a planned six-hour strike by pilots at Frankfurt airport, its main hub.

The Vereinigung Cockpit union called pilots on Lufthansa's short-haul fleet out on strike from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. (1500 to 2100 GMT) Friday. The airline canceled a raft of flights to and from Frankfurt, the last on Saturday morning.

The walkout is part of a dispute over the pilots' demand that Lufthansa keep paying a transition payment for those wanting to retire early. The airline, which faces tough competition from European budget airlines and major Gulf airlines, wants to cut those payments.

The pilots are also asking for a salary increase of 10 percent. They staged a strike last week at Lufthansa's Germanwings subsidiary.